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John O’Shea fouls Radamel Falcao but Wes Brown was sent off (Picture: Getty)

Referee Roger East stunned fans by sending off the wrong player during Manchester United’s clash with Sunderland on Saturday.

Poor Wes Brown was given his marching orders despite it clearly being John O’Shea that brought down United superstar Radamel Falcao, giving away a penalty in the process.

A number of players protested the decision repeatedly, but East stood his ground, even after he seemed to be in conversation with the fourth official. Former United defender Brown had to depart from the pitch, laughing to himself as he did.

Wayne Rooney scored from the penalty spot to put United 1-0 ahead against Gus Poyet’s men. Rooney later helped himself to a second goal as the Reds claimed a 2-0 win to move up to third place in the Premier League table.

Speaking about the red card incident after the game, Sunderland manager Gus Poyet said: ‘The referee told the players there were two fouls, one committed by John O’Shea and one committed by Wes Brown. He gave the Wes Brown one, so that’s why he sent him off. Wes Brown didn’t touch anyone, so I don’t know what he saw.

Wes Brown laughed to himself as he departed the pitch at Old Trafford (Picture: Reuters)

‘If the referee tells you something that didn’t happen, I suppose that you try to tell him that it didn’t happen so that was the idea. He said he gave the penalty for Wes Brown. So you tell him that Wes Brown was not even involved so how can you give a penalty that didn’t happen.’

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East is still sticking by his decision however. A couple of hours after the match, the body which acts on behalf of referees, the PGMOL, issued a statement saying: ‘From his position Roger East, the match referee, believed he saw contact from John O’Shea and Wes Brown on Radamel Falcao.

‘As he thought Brown made a foul on Falcao while he was in the act of shooting, he dismissed Brown. After the incident the match referee consulted with his team of officials but none were better placed to offer guidance.’